Birdhouses in big demand at Episcopal Day School

The Episcopal Day School is in a birdhouse frenzy. What started as a kind gesture has developed into an advantageous way to bring prospective students to the school.

Joel Olvera, the custodian at Episcopal Day School for more than 23 years, has built more than 85 birdhouses and feeders over the past five months and has no plans to stop.

“My husband gave him a table saw and some scraps of lumber, and for Christmas he made every fac-ulty and staff member a birdhouse,” said principal Sharon Putegnat.

Olvera said he got the idea to make birdhouses for the faculty and staff from the second grade’s bird-house project.

“I thought it would be real easy to do and it was fun,” Olvera said.

Olvera built approximately 45 birdhouses for the faculty and staff. The gift became an instant hit among school personnel, and gave Putegnat a one-of-a-kind idea.

Putegnat decided to sell Olvera’s creation to benefit the school’s financial aid funds.

“There are so many families that want to come to Episcopal Day School and they might not have the means, so we are making that possible for some,” Putegnat said.

Putegnat said the birdhouses were a big hit at a church function.

“At the Fun and Fellowship night we sold almost $1,000 in birdhouse sales,” she said.

The birdhouses sold from $20 to $105 depending on the size and detail of the creation.

The birdhouses are in big demand now. Putegnat and Karen Ray, assistant director at Episcopal Day School, have decided to make the birdhouses an ongoing fundraiser. “These are not ordinary birdhouses, we love them,” Ray said.

Putegnat and Ray hope that the birdhouse frenzy will make their students conscious of the environ-ment and birding.

“We want the students to care and nurture the environment and animals and the birdhouse project is one way of doing that,” Ray said.

Olvera helps with the birding project buy purchasing the feed and helping the students feed the birds.

Ray said black bellied whistling ducks, sparrows, gross beaks, hummingbirds, and myriad of ducks have flocked to the school’s mini birding center.

Olvera is proud of the work he has done for the school and glad to help a good cause.

“I’m excited about the special orders; I feel good knowing I am doing something that is going to help other people and the school,” Olvera said.

Anyone interested in purchasing a birdhouse, please call Episcopal Day School at (956) 542-5231.